Alhaja Iyabo Abdul-Jabar, the 15th wife of late Sheikh Abdul-Jabar Balogun, has revealed previously unknown details about the influential Yoruba Muslim cleric, describing him as a respected Islamic preacher who predicted major political events in Nigeria and maintained relationships with prominent national figures.
Discussing her late husband’s life and influence on Agbaletu TV, Iyabo dismissed claims that Sheikh Abdul-Jabar was diabolical, insisting that he devoted his life to propagating Islam and converting traditional worshippers, especially masquerade adherents, to the religion.
According to her, the cleric hailed from a strong Muslim family in Epe, Lagos State, and played active roles in national political and religious circles.
One of the major revelations she made concerned Sheikh Abdul-Jabar’s predictions about Nigeria’s leadership. She said the cleric foretold that both President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former President Olusegun Obasanjo would one day rule Nigeria as civilian presidents.
“There was a day my husband visited Iya Mogaji, the mother of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He told her that Tinubu would one day become Nigeria’s president. Today, it has come to pass,” she said.
She added that Abdul-Jabar also predicted the emergence of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as civilian president while Obasanjo was still in detention.
“He publicly declared during a lecture that Obasanjo, who was incarcerated at the time, would later become Nigeria’s civilian president. Eventually, it happened exactly as he said,” she recalled.
Iyabo further narrated her husband’s relationship with former military ruler General Sani Abacha, revealing how Sheikh Abdul-Jabar allegedly intervened to prevent the execution of former Chief of General Staff, Lt.-Gen. Oladipo Diya.
According to her, Abdul-Jabar became connected to Abacha through an elderly man identified as Haruna Meyasi, who was regarded as a father figure to the late military ruler.
“When Abacha planned to become president, Haruna informed my husband, and Abdul-Jabar prayed for him. Later, when Abacha allegedly planned to execute Diya, my husband sent Haruna to warn him against it. When Abacha refused to listen, Abdul-Jabar personally travelled to Abuja with a staff in his hand to meet him,” she explained.
She claimed the cleric warned Abacha that killing Diya would bring serious consequences. “That was why, after my husband died, Diya supported the family and reached out to all the wives,” she added.
Iyabo also revisited the controversial June 12 political era, insisting that contrary to widespread belief, her husband supported the late Chief MKO Abiola during the 1993 presidential election.
She said Abdul-Jabar mobilised his entire household to vote for Abiola but was later misunderstood by some of the politician’s supporters. “He campaigned for MKO Abiola and took all his wives and children to vote for him,” she stated.
However, she alleged that supporters loyal to Abiola later attacked their residence on July 6, 1993, accusing her husband of siding with former military ruler Ibrahim Babangida. “They stormed our house shouting, ‘Abdul-Jabar and IBB are thieves.’ They stoned the house and almost killed us,” she recounted.
According to her, the misunderstanding stemmed from tensions involving the late Kudirat Abiola rather than MKO Abiola himself.
She also disclosed that Sheikh Abdul-Jabar enjoyed cordial relations with former military president Ibrahim Babangida, noting that the cleric’s fortunes improved significantly during the Babangida administration.
Beyond politics, Iyabo said the cleric was deeply involved in the Yoruba movie industry and sponsored several Nollywood actors and actresses to Hajj.
She revealed that Abdul-Jabar sponsored 85 people to the pilgrimage, including actors, actresses and traditional worshippers he converted to Islam.
Among those he allegedly assisted was veteran actor Alhaji Yekini Ajileye, whom he reportedly supported with N4 million for the production of the Yoruba movie Koto Orun, based on Abdul-Jabar’s birth story.
Iyabo also shed light on the long-standing misunderstanding between her husband and late Fuji musician Ayinde Barrister, saying the dispute started over the use of a microphone at an event.
“It was a microphone issue. Barrister refused to hand over his microphone to my husband during an event, saying he did not share it with anyone. That incident created tension between them afterwards,” she explained.
Comments 1